Few things in cricket are as satisfying as a perfectly executed pull shot. That crisp crack of the bat. The ball soared into the stands. Pure magic. And when it comes to this stroke, few do it better than Shubman Gill. His mastery of the pull shot against pace has made him a key player for India in ODIs.
Gill’s Pull Shot: A Weapon of Destruction
Take India’s opening match of the 2025 Champions Trophy against Bangladesh. Gill saw a short ball from Tanzim Hasan Sakib, picked it early, and—boom!—sent it flying into the stands at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. No exaggerated celebration. Just quiet confidence. Even Rohit Sharma, his opening partner, couldn’t help but admire it.
And here’s the crazy part—Gill has been smashing pacers with the pull shot for years. Since 2019, he’s built an incredible record:
- Average: 95.25 while playing the pull
- Dismissals: Just four times in ODIs
Best pull shot average among batters with at least 160 runs from the shot
That’s domination.
Why Is Shubman Gill’s Pull Shot So Effective?
It’s not just power. It’s precision.
Gill doesn’t just swing and hope for the best. He controls his shots with insane accuracy. His false-shot percentage (when he mistimes a pull) is just 12.0%—the second-best in ODIs since 2019. Only Babar Azam has a lower rate (7.5%).
Even though Gill’s cover drive is his most productive shot, his pull shot is a close second. But here’s what sets him apart—his short-arm jab.
Traditional pull shots: Played with a deep backfoot stance
Gill’s version: A compact jab with little follow-through, using forward momentum
It’s unorthodox. But it works.
The Height Advantage
Standing at 6’1” (1.85m), Gill has a natural edge. Taller batters can get on top of short balls, keeping their pulls controlled. And he’s made the most of it.
Against back-of-a-length deliveries, Gill has outperformed legends like Rohit Sharma, David Warner, and Babar Azam since 2019:
Most runs with the pull off this length? No.
Best strike rate (258.16)? Yes.
That’s blistering. But there’s a catch—every time he’s been dismissed playing the pull, it’s been against back-of-a-length deliveries. A tiny chink in the armor? Maybe.
Pulling From Outside Off-Stump: A Rare Skill
Most batters don’t pull balls outside off. It’s risky. But Gill? He makes it look easy.
Since 2019, only Rohit Sharma has scored more runs pulling from wide lines in ODIs. But Gill? He has the best average (82.66) among players with over 165 runs in these situations.
This makes him unpredictable. Pacers can’t just stick to short balls outside off. If they do, Gill will whip them into the leg side—again and again.
The Risk Factor: Can Bowlers Exploit It?
Of course, no shot is completely foolproof.
In India’s Champions Trophy 2025 match against Pakistan, Gill nearly threw his wicket away trying to pull a ball straight to short mid-wicket. A warning sign? Maybe. Smart captains might start placing fielders in the deep or at catching positions to lure him into a mistake.
With a high-stakes semifinal against Australia on the horizon, expect Steve Smith and his bowlers to come prepared. Will they find a way to stop Gill? Or will he continue to dominate?
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